you hear see some other part of it and realize everything is. welcome to the big picture. president vladimir putin says america's poor human rights record. as moscow responds to washington's decision to sanction russian diplomats. dramatic leaks of a political career. christmas address on the safety of the london embassy. and time magazine names barack obama for a second time critics say the u.s. president needs to take stronger action such as gun control.

on air and online twenty four seventh's. but the mayor putin has slammed america's human rights record citing indefinite detention and sanctioned torture overseas prisons the president has also defended moscow's response to washington's decision to sanction russian officials what he speaking to journalists in the first major news conference since returning to the kremlin that said talk to your piskun off for more on this has sparked this tough rhetoric from putin then. the president has slammed the money's good act passed recently by american lawmakers saying it's a continuation of a series of anti russian laws like the jacksonville act which was abolished just recently when the president. things like that only spoiled relations with moscow

but the problem according to what you know which in is moments that you did in the states which is a country which uses prisons like i would reward want on a world well asians of human rights happen on a daily basis while still washington thinks it has the right to criticize the human rights situation in russia. our u.s. partners and their lawmakers say they are concerned about human rights in our prisons and that's fine of course but there are plenty of issues they have themselves abu ghraib and guantanamo where for years people have been detained without charge it's inconceivable to the prisoners walk around in chains like in the middle ages they've legalized torture inside their own country if something like that happened here it would cause an international outcry but it all remains quiet in the u.s. we've heard plenty of promises to close guantanamo but it's still there it's still

operating maybe there is still torture going on there secret cia prisons has anyone been brought to account and they're pointing at our problems well thank you we're aware of that making this the ground for passing anti russian laws it's something absurd and we have a no way provoked such action. russian lawmakers are currently working on what they say will be a proportionate response to the money needs part of the plan is doing include a ban for americans to adopt a russian children the president also commented on that saying that the biggest problem with adoption of russian kids by americans is the lack of a proper. legal reaction by the american authorities to prevent pieces of violations of the rights of these children from reoccurring including the lack of serious punishments for these people the president is also reminded of

a recent doctrine agreement signed between moscow and washington which is supposed to allow russian officials monitor what happens with the children after they are brought to the u.s. and it turns out that since each state in america has its own legislation this agreement has no legal power in many of them and in many cases russian officials aren't even allowed to enter the courts during processes and the president said that all of this makes the agreement useless when you go what else has gradually this attention during proteins media conference so far. the lights of the antigovernment protests which have been continuing for a year now the president has been asked quite a tough question implying that module which is managed to build an authorized syrian regime in your country during the years that he's in power let's listen to what the president had to say on that well you may have missed because it was almost a b. i believe that we provided stability which is the progress it was before the

development of our country i believe it's a very important thing but i wouldn't call it authoritarian i can't agree with such an abbreviated version of the most prominent example proves my point but it was my decision to take to the sidelines after two terms as president if i thought that to tell it terry and terry in systems would be the most preferable for our country to just change the constitution. another issue touched upon at the conference is the moscow stance on syria since there's been a lot of speculation recently in international media that its position may have changed when the president has reiterated once again that moscow does not support president assad's regime but russia does not want to see syria drown in violence for the next years a drawn into civil war president said that the only right thing is for the syrian people to be able to decide what sort of political future they want and they want

country to control and then for the change a little sour to happen. you know we are not concerned about the fate of assad's regime we understand what's going on there the family has been in power for forty years and i'm doubt at least there's demand for change but we're concerned about what happens next in the country and we just don't want ongoing strife between today's opposition if it takes power and the current government if they become the opposition this can't go on forever of course russia has its interests in the region which is it's very close to us by the way those interests are not that broad we don't have any special economic relations and mr assad he hasn't been out of moscow all the time during his presidency he was much more of a frequent guest in paris and other european capitals we support a solution which would remove the threat of the country splitting apart and an

endless civil war. in the podium. and on a lighter note the president has denied speculation that he has problems with his health there's been lots of rumors around recently and also answered a question which is probably on the minds of millions of people in the world right now about the end of the world well budget which and says he knows when this will happen according to him only a few. billion years or one of the sun will start shining so these are some of the more serious and less serious issues touched upon during the conference which has passed before our long mark has become yet another medium with the president. ok r.t. if you go thanks for that update well president putin is continuing to address the media and you can see what he's saying in that r.t. dot com. how the

man on the front line of the information battle of wiki leaks julian assange is to give a christmas address and deliver his speech from the balcony of the ecuadorian embassy in london he's been ensconced for six months now after being granted political asylum there well as much anticipation as to what assad will say what is laura smith reports now on possible topics for his address. later on thursday julian i saw she's doing something which is usually reserved for heads of state queens the pope people like that he's giving a christmas message from the balcony of the ecuadorian embassy where he's been holed up for the last six months and in fact this speech will mark his six month anniversary inside the ecuadorian embassy now the last time judy and i saw it appeared in public it was back in august and he had to organize a kind of a rally around the embassy so speeches by politicians and other supporters as

a kind of a cannibal atmosphere was balloons and all that kind of thing and then he came on and made his speech and he made a couple of important points one of which was to urge the u.s. to end what he calls the witch hunt against wiki leaks and he also called for the release of bradley manning who is of course being held. on trial in the u.s. accused of leaking classified documents to wiki leaks so those are two things that he may mention again when he talks later on thursday he also may talk about his most recent visit to run for the senate in the two thousand and thirteen australian federal elections he's made that announcement and he's said that wiki leaks is setting up a political party for which plans are significantly advanced and they have received significant support from notable australians he says that party is designed to

promote openness in government and politics and also to combat growing intrusions on individual prissy's one of the things i learnt during the interview that he gave me a couple of weeks ago was that you do not follow the increasingly unwilling to talk about his personal situation he prefers to stick to the wider issues and so that is why one of the things he may talk about could be the continuing blockade of wiki leaks by visa master card and pay pal that's a case that's ongoing at the moment and also a possible further leak that he mentioned to me they're talking about leaking more documents in the new year watch this space he said. well the battle for transparency has long been a struggle for wiki leaks with only going investigation in the us and the combinations by credit card companies as a spokesperson for the whistle blowing web site christine told r.t. the fight will continue. well we know about the ongoing. investigation of the

secret grand jury you know sandra and jr there is. an ongoing attempt to find an angle to bring charges against julian and possibly all those working for we can use as a very serious matter of course very shameful for the obama administration not to stop that for the man who was right even taken four years ago to increase transparency and what we have seen is. the opposite witch hunt against whistleblowers. first person history will continue our work as we have done despite the difficult situation that has been in the ecuadorian embassy you know for six months but problems with the house arrest that hasn't stopped us we have continued to work. the economic blockade has not stopped us either even though we're getting into a dire situation financially but that's the battle that we have decided to were told it will all out war and until we have

a victory there as well in the new year. coming up israel ignores calls from western powers by pressing ahead with plans to build more settlements in occupied territory and examine tel aviv's that binds construction plans in the west bank a little later in the program. and catalonia agrees to hold a referendum on breaking away from spain despite madrid of valley to stop the region from going through that's all after the break. looking at some dogs you simply do not believe they can speak and good nice how they can wrong oh oh it's an international sled dog race with those driving the dogs. coming from as far away as australia. canada and the us they come to russia and everybody is over friendly they welcomed me with open

arms and the scenery is so beautiful it's very much like a lot and so i felt at home the first sled dog was brought here from australia now it's truly has come to this remote russian village to take part in the race it's not surprising they love it this trail are amazing but even more amazing is the story of how racing first started here at all it wasn't the top sled dog racing who set the trail ablaze but a nun and for all friends who brought their idea to life five years ago mother put a scare of a bill to dog kennel in the village kids from the local op when it came around to take care of the dogs and one day they state their lives might seem extreme to some the boys wake up at six to feed the dogs before school in the evening they spend up to three hours training their four legged friends but smother her scare also

encourages her kids to become debt hands on the computer and internet the boys who regularly update their website and they're in touch with their busy mother twenty four seven on the phone. but children are the most important thing my only interests not play any role anymore and regardless of whether parsky has huskies win the race or not she hopes the competition will take place in the village next year. but called these dogs and the children it really is not the winning but truly just the taking part that counts. live. live. that again that more well the news for you now.

due to walk free from prison than expected that's according to a court which is just the jail term for the former tyco. method it may be serving time for fifty a money laundering for the details we're joined now by a correspondent you see come from the see an unexpected turn of events so what can you tell us hi there well the russian court had actually reduced both men sentences due to a change in russia's criminal court they were both serving originally serving thirteen years that's how much they had left and now they now they will have only eleven years left behind bars this was one of the most high profile cases in russia in recent years back in the early two thousand the government had accused the two former yukos oil business partners of essentially stealing tax evasion pardon me the company which was then the largest in russia ended up going bankrupt and its assets were taken over by russ left many in the west had believed that this was a politically motivated case but moscow denies those charges later in two thousand

and ten when the two men had almost finished serving their present sentences a moscow court had given them fresh sentences this time over charges of embezzling and as well as the theft of what was accused to being nearly thirty million u.s. dollars worth of oil despite this he had become somewhat of a poster boy for the russian opposition who had alleged that his continued imprisonment was somehow evidence of state control of the judiciary yet despite all this we do know at the appeals court on thursday the two men sentences were reduced and they're expected to potentially walk free by two thousand and fourteen. ok thanks for the update. the u.n. security council is demanding that israel holds its settlement lands in the occupied west bank and east jerusalem immediately move to build housing in palestinian lands is seen as illegal under international law israeli media however reporting that more than three thousand extra homes have been approved in addition

to the several thousand that given the go ahead earlier this month has more. israeli officials say that they're pressing on with plans to build six thousand new homes this defies criticism from western powers who fear that the move will hamper an already faint hopes for a peace deal between israelis and palestinians you'll remember that it was just last month after the the fact a recognition of palestinian sovereignty at the united nations that is well made its new announcement in terms of settlement building it said that it would expand settlements in the occupied west bank as well as in east jerusalem and at that time there was international and quiet the point needs to be made that israel continues to build in i said defiance of international law and as well as of united nations resolutions so many critics are pointing out that is also assertiveness with settlements is part of the reason why it's becoming increasingly isolated by its

most out partners primarily in europe but that's not to say that washington is also not losing patience the united states has said that it is deeply disappointed by israeli construction plans in an unpredictable sharp reaction the obama administration has softened the criticism of israel saying that these construction plans run counter to peace the point also needs to be made that next month january israel will be holding parliamentary elections which is why many are suggesting that these a nonsmoker by the prime minister netanyahu are a means of trying to garner up domestic support as well as change the reality on the ground one of the options is that nathaniel how can he like minded people. creating a situation well by the number of certainly will be such a significant one that eventually the solution will be more or less let us get the

big to the sixty seven borders and let the settlers remain there under the palestinian state rather than evacuate them to new areas which will be annexed to israel most of the international community see the settlement construction by tel aviv as illegal certainly the palestinians see it as a real obstacle to creating a viable capital in east jerusalem policy r.t. tel aviv. there's been a mixed reaction over time magazine's decision to name barack obama person of the year for a second time the u.s. president again the award for becoming what they called the symbol and architect of the new america the editor's enthusiasm for the u.s. leader is not shared by all americans many remain unconvinced by his actions including domestic matters such as gun control what is going to chicago. they're choosing president obama as the person of the year second time the first time they gave him the title right after the two thousand and eight election as to someone

who had the most influence on global affairs although at that time he hadn't had the time to exercise all that influence but then president obama also received the nobel peace prize in two thousand and nine shortly after his election although i guess at that point he hadn't made much peace in the world the award was seen as much more of an advance credit than and knowledge meant of actual achievements on the peace front later president obama went on to spend that credit sending more troops to afghanistan and carrying out regime change in libya under the arguable banner war for the sake of peace as far as his person of the year title critics argue president obama was time's choice by default their short list this year also included the egyptian leader mohamed morsi and the pakistani girl malala yousafzai who was shot by the taliban for advocating for women's education president obama may be the person of the year for the time magazine but for advocates of gun

control in the u.s. he still has to earn that title to president obama had a news conference where he was asked why no meaningful action has been taken on gun control in the last four years of his presidency although one of his campaign pledges was a ban on assault weapons he basically said he had lots of other things to do including waging two wars and quote it's not like i've been on vacation he said those in the u.s. who suffered in numerous incidents of gun violence would probably not be satisfied with such an answer but the president pledged to finally take more active steps in the coming months he says the administration will come up with a more definitive proposal on gun control but people have heard those words before and nothing happened and getting a semiautomatic weapon is not a problem in the u.s. adam lanza who killed twenty small children and. six adults at an elementary school last week fired from a semi-automatic bushmaster rifle it's

a military style rifle a powerful weapon and its sales are on the rise in the u.s. in the last four years the market for such guns grew thirty percent but activists and journalists don't sense the actions and policies of the u.s. president and speak louder than the words of time magazine and it's. time magazine's editors giving and giving him the award can only be you can only guess impute would have a motive they have to them in terms of what he's actually done we have to look at his policies in terms of workers getting jobs nothing in terms of giving people who are in foreclosure relief not much in terms of peace making he started more wars than george bush and so you know we have to look at his policy rather than what some magazine who may be going to the f.c.c. or some other regulatory agency for relief for the many t.v. stations the time inc owns rather than that we need to look at his policies well go back to two thousand and eight when he was given supposedly because of the

influence he had on international affairs and within four weeks of receiving that said he had no comment about israel's war on gaza that ended up killing fifteen hundred civilians it's pretty meaningless and the thing that's most revealing is they themselves pulled an electoral college over a popular vote scam when they said it's the editor's choice and not the people but the people voting for the president of north korea over the president the united states. well staying stateside and you can still be detained and held without trial if you're a u.s. citizen we report on r.t. dot com. washington lawmakers scrapped a crucial amendment to the national defense authorization act which would have protected the rights. and better late than never the u.k. finally agrees to on of the british veterans of the take from the boy which carried crucial supplies to russia during world war two.

plane the says it has legal grounds and the power to prevent catalonia from holding a referendum on breaking away after the region's nationalist leaders agree to form a new pro separatist government and over a public vote on going it alone when r.k. a campaigner for. and that allowed to cap debates about stuff of nation i.q. my right to universal rights you know cuts alone i thought of how loud to explain to people about economical facts and about all of the fees that as i mean depth of the money are they would bet if they thought so at these

a scenario just created the vocalizing opened majority for indefinite and that it has been showing their last official resort falls and actually as well as the last elections was now in the parliament of action on yes we do have a majority or five members of the parliament which are four in that at that and they're willing to call for the youth referendum. ok there was a few minutes of max and stacey exposed the dark secrets of the global financial industry and in the kaiser report coming. it's perched atop a giant truck and the view from that about scrabble and stretches of far as i can see up for

a city that chilled all of siberia for centuries. it lost its economic importance even before it was bypassed by the chance i bear in railway but the ball's cremains a spiritual center. was things like these are a yearly occurrence thousands of orthodox worshippers of themselves and blessid water to commemorate the baptism of jesus. in the fifteen eighties the russians had only just conquered siberia taking it from the muslims. surrounded by enemies the ball supposed to be their stronghold constructed on top of the city but soon enough it became an economic hub siberian fire was the oil of its time bringing in a third of all russia's state revenue but the balls location head of the says but

the russians are the russian the crowds who led a revolt against the czar and eight hundred twenty five known as the decembrists will stand here and drove. there they created a replica high society adopting the latest fashions as soon as they came out or at least once they made it from paris to siberia but the city also serves up some bit of irony for the russian royal family after the bolshevik revolution. this is the office was nicholas the second spend most of the last year of his life his whole family had been exiled here they led a fairly comfortable existence this was a big house but they weren't allowed to see visitors or go outside themselves whilst leaving this ordinary normal countryside lifestyle they even had thoughts of escape but within the year the czar and his family would be dead.

divine power in action activate the. i am. me please we are under the control of those governing you somewhere at the service of space mafia. i found that on that day the magnetic field of the sun will be. to create to support. after the second coming it will be a beautiful place it will receive its glory it will be a renewed world and it will be a beautiful place. the first. will stop the ammunition.

it's good business for us it's kind of like being a doctor you know if there's a disaster businesses. better unfortunately. welcome to the kaiser report on max kaiser you know it's well past time in on planet ponzi yes the banking sector needs to rivet is dead and fraud casts a shadow much larger than the real economy and there's no sheriff to protect you from the shootout about to happen at the ok bond corral as everyone comes to claim ownership to the same exact infinitely riata gated base of the garbage dressed up as collateral.